Whispers of the Wind
by Emochan
Summary: ChibiUsa is about to become the new Queen of the planet when an old nemesis returns to claim her power. On top of that, strange visions of a Pegasus plague her mind and she realizes that she has forgotten something important. ChibiusaxHelios. Read&Review!
1. Daydreams

The warm, midsummer night air felt refreshing against my cheeks as it danced along my skin. I again found myself staring off towards the darkening horizon. The stars above sparkled like diamonds, making me smile a little. My fingers were clasped tightly against my chest while I prayed silently to…well…whoever in the sky would hear me. A hazy image formed in my head and I gasped slightly at the memory.

A white horse. As white as the snow in winter that fell playfully around me. Its glimmering white mane floated in the breeze as a longing sigh filled my ears. A beautiful golden horn protruded from its head, glowing brilliantly in the growing moonlight. A pair of large wings flexed in the air as the animal turned to face me. I was suddenly mesmerized by the piercing gold eyes that gazed back at me. Such sadness resided within them. My heart began to ache. I extended my hand out to the animal, wishing to touch it. To make it happier somehow.

"_Little Maiden…"_

A strange, yet familiar voice whispered as if it was from someone standing right next to me. My hand hesitated for a brief moment. I remembered that voice. The animal flew closer to me, its gaze not leaving mine. My breath was frozen within my throat. Those eyes….those beautiful, penetrating, wonderful eyes…

My fingers stretched from my palm, desperate to touch the velvety nose of the animal as it neared me. The rest of my body was like a statue. Desperation filled me as I reached. Just a little closer…only inches away…

"Lady Serenity! Are you out there?" A high-pitched sound broke my concentration. I gasped again as the beautiful creature fizzled away before I could make contact. My heart pounded like I was running a marathon. What just happened? "Lady Serenity!"

I turned abruptly to see a young woman with baby blue braids dangling along her face. The ends of each braid formed into small balls, which matched the ball sitting at the top of her head. Her blue eyes gave me a look of concern as her hand rested on her hips; the fingers fidgeting with the miniskirt of her outfit. In her other gloved hand was a set of small balls. She tossed them into the air effortlessly. They clacked against one another as they landed back in her palm.

"Oh, hello, PallaPalla. You startled me." I tried to not sound uneasy as I spoke. I did want her looking at me any more suspiciously. The concern in her eyes increased as she approached me. But she shrugged and straightened out the baby blue bow at her chest.

"Sorry, Princess. I didn't mean to do that, but you had us all worried. You didn't come down to dinner. The queen thought you may be sick. So I was sent to check up on you," she said softly. Her eyes darted behind me. "What…were you doing?" I could feel heat rising to my face, but I forced myself to ignore it.

"I was only daydreaming, that's all. Lost track of the time, I guess. We should hurry downstairs, then? I don't want to worry Mom and Dad any more than I have already." I shuffled myself past my friend and headed towards the doorway. Her boots skid across the marble floor as she joined me from behind.

"You sure you're alright?" Her voice was still wrought with worry, making me wince a little. I turned to her and flashed my usual smile.

"Of course. Now let's get some dinner!" I said cheerfully as I practically leapt down the spiral staircase beside my room. In the back of my mind, a nostalgic longing began to formulize.


	2. Celebrations

Quite a few worried faces welcomed me as I entered the dining room. My mother and father were the first two I glanced at; two regal people who were truly my saviors in so many ways. I never got over how beautiful my mother was, with her long blonde hair and deep blue eyes. I had seen her grow up in her own ways, due to my many travels between time and space. As much as she irritated me when we were both younger, I did miss those funny moments we had. She was still a bit clumsy and short-tempered, but she was much more knowledgeable and mature now. My father looked handsome, as always. Although he looked like he aged more than my mother, he still kept his boyish face that I remembered from years past. The black hair that I remembered from back then had faded into a shade of pale purple, which must've come from his fusion with the Silver Crystal when the two became rulers of Earth. I noticed his hand curled around my mother's, and I smiled. They both looked terribly worried and I felt a sting of guilt for making them feel that way.

Alongside my loving parents were my mother's guardians, the Inner Senshi as we called them. The raven-haired one looked at me with her ruby red eyes. Sailor Mars was always very close to my mother. Their arguments always made me laugh when I was younger. Next to her was Sailor Jupiter. Her brown hair sat tightly behind her head in a ponytail. A few strands sat at the sides of her face and her dark green eyes stared back at me. I shuddered a little and peered over at Sailor Mercury. Her blue eyes were calculating something, from how they looked at me from head to toe. One of her hands pulled part of her short blue hair behind an ear and she sighed. I heard a soft chuckle from next to her, and I saw Sailor Venus holding a hand at her mouth. I could tell she was scheming from the way her blue eyes narrowed at me.

Across from this group sat my own guardians, the Asteroid Senshi, as they were called in the kingdom. My eyes followed PallaPalla as she sat down between VesVes and CereCere. I heard VesVes grumble something under her breath as one of her hands fixed her bright red bangs, her matching red eyes looking at me in irritation. CereCere's gentle pink eyes rested on me as she sighed, leaning back in her chair. Her pink hair bounced slightly as she moved. JunJun sat closest to me, her green eyes filled with hunger. Her arms were crossed against her chest with strands of her green hair lightly touching her fingers as they tapped against her gloved skin.

"Everything alright, Lady Serenity?" My mother spoke first. Just as I expected, she sounded very worried. True, it wasn't like me to be late to dinner. But it wasn't like I was an hour late. Why be so worried?

I flashed my smile again and took a short breath. "I'm fine, Mom. I just lost track of time…" I trailed off as I walked over to my chair next to her. I could feel all their eyes burning into me, making me feel uncomfortable. I heard my father cough to break the tension.

"Well, since everyone is here now, why don't we eat, hmm?" His gentle voice made me feel better. As the servants presented out meal to u, I felt the glares disappear from me. The sweet aromas of pasta and fresh bread eased my mind. As I ate, I began to ponder what happened on my balcony moments before. That horse was familiar. It called me something…'Little Maiden'. I had not been called that since…

My fork fell through my fingers, clashing with the silver plate beneath it. My mother placed a slender hand on my shoulder and shook me. I blushed in embarrassment while I regained my composure.

"What's the matter? You look dazed," my mother said in a soft tone. "Is something bothering you?" I nervously chuckled.

"I'm fine, Mom. Really." I tried to convince her. Maybe she would buy it. But she had become desensitized to my acting many years ago. Maybe I'd get lucky.

"She's probably just excited for her party, Usagi." Jupiter piped up. "I know I would be daydreaming about it if I were her…" her voice chimed as she spoke, as if she were starting to daydream herself.

"Mako is right. It's not every day when you turn '21'. Least appearance wise." Mars said. Then I remembered. I was turning the important age of 21. I was actually a lot older than that, more like 3,700 years old. But I was finally going to stop aging once I turned the appearance age of 21.

"Yes, they're right, Mom." I placed my hand on hers and pulled it off of me. "I keep thinking about the dancing and the dress I'll be wearing, and I just zone out. I'm sorry about that." I apologized, hoping to calm her down. Her face softened and she smiled, turning to my father. He didn't seem so convinced. Drats. I could never fool him as easily as Mom. Instead of calling me out, he only smiled back at her.

"See, Usako? Nothing's wrong." He returned to his meal with a relieved sigh. The others followed suit. As I continued to eat, the beautiful image of the Pegasus replayed in my head.

"There's still so much to plan!" A small voice chirped from below the table. I pushed myself from the glass table and glanced downwards and saw my best little friend staring up at me with her adoring pink eyes.

"Diana! What are you doing down there?" I asked as the small cat jumped into my lap. A little golden bell jingled as she purred. I lightly pat her grey head.

"I just came back from the decorators for your party! Everyone is so excited, Lady Serenity!" Her excitement made me smile as I pet her.

"I would hope so, it's only a few days away! I'd be jumping out of my skin!" Sailor Venus grinned. "Remember your party, Usagi? It was so extravagant!"

My mother giggled with a nod.

"Outside of you tripping and causing the cake to spill over and cover me," another little voice growled. A darker grey cat appeared from beneath the table; her blue eyes filled with rage from the memory. "I certainly didn't appreciate that!" The others at the table chuckled as my mother blushed furiously in embarrassment. I couldn't help but laugh as well. Like I said, Mom was never completely graceful.

"I told you I was sorry about that, Luna! I can't believe you still remember…" my mother grumbled. A white cat joined Luna with a pout on his furry face.

"Of course. She smelled like chocolate for weeks!" He scowled.

"Oh, Artemis. You know you enjoyed it!" Venus snickered, making the white cat blush a bit himself. I heard a soft snarl from Luna. My father sighed. Even though we had all matured over the centuries, some things never changed.

"So, Lady Serenity, are you looking forward to your birthday?" Diana's voice caught back my attention. I smiled at her.

"Yes, Diana. I'm looking forward to it."

"It's such an important occasion, too!" Diana exclaimed.

"I know…" I winced slightly at the thought. Sure, it was my '21'st birthday. But on top of that, it would mean that I was a full-ledged adult. I would be coronated as the next queen. My parents were not going to rule forever, even if they lived that long. As much as I dreamed of being like my mother, I wasn't looking forward to that task. My mom made it look effortless. I was terrified of ruling. Especially alone. I didn't have my own Mamochan yet. How would I be able to look over an entire planet by myself?

"Lady Serenity! Snap out of it! Are you alright?" Diana nuzzled her head against my chest, breaking my thoughts. I smiled and patted her again.

"Yes, I'm okay. Just thinking, that's all."

"Seems like that's happening a lot today…" VesVes snooted. I glared at her.

"Now, now. No bickering at the dinner table!" My mother pleaded. "Time for desert, anyway!" She always got excited for desert. Something else that didn't change with my mother: her sweet tooth. I wasn't really in the mood for sweets at the moment, though.

"If you don't mind, I'm feeling really tired. May I excuse myself to my room?" I asked. Everyone looked at me strangely as I scooped Diana into my arms and stood up. I pushed out a fake yawn.

"Sure, Darling." My mother said sweetly as the trays of ice cream arrived. I could have sworn I noticed drool run down her lips, making me roll my eyes as I turned away.

"Don't forget about tomorrow, Lady Serenity," I heard Sailor Mars say. "Training begins at 8 am sharp!"

I grunted. I still had not achieved mastery over my senshi skills. For some strange reason, it was taking a painfully slow pace, even with my time travel training, as well as my current training. One would think centuries of practice would make me more powerful than my own mother. Fate, it seems, thought otherwise. I turned to Mars and nodded.

"Won't be a minute late! Promise!" I said, trying to sound happy. With a shrug, I walked back up to my bedroom. I had more important things to think about than training. More important things to remember.

Diana flew from my arms as we entered, and I felt another warm breeze fill the room. I had left my balcony doors open without thinking. I leaned against my bedroom door and sighed. Diana ran over to jump onto my bed.

"What is bothering you, Lady Serenity? Are you that worried about your party?" She was still so innocent. It made me smile slightly. I shook my head and walked over to the balcony doors.

"No, not about that, Diana," I said quietly as I touched one of the glass doors. The transparent pink curtain that covered the glass fluttered while the door closed. I wanted to go back onto the balcony, to see that wonderful creature again. But I couldn't when Diana was there. "It's something else…"

"Like what? Is it your training? I'm sure you'll master your skills very soon!" Her encouragement almost irritated me. I walked over to the full body mirror that sat at the corner of my luxurious room and gazed at myself. I looked very much like my mother did when she was younger. The main difference was that my hair was a pale shade of pink instead of blonde. The hair floated down past my waist, curling at my knees. The cone-shaped buns at the top of my head have not changed since I was a child. My dark pink eyes shimmered in the reflection, and I saw how confused they looked. My finger slid down my pearl-colored gown, feeling the satin fabric. I was slender like my mother, but had a slightly bigger bust. I grinned at a memory of her looking at me with a bright red, jealous face after I finished puberty. Surely I was a real lady now, right? I certainly looked like one.

With a yawn (a real one this time), I went to my dresser and pulled out a pair of pink pajamas that were covered in small bunny heads. The thin cotton felt almost cooling against my skin as I changed. I slunk into my bed and Diana nestled on the pillow beside my head. I stared at my ceiling for a while, unable to fall asleep. A light snoring from the side of my head relieved me. Diana fell asleep so fast, it made me relax a bit. It gave me a chance to think without her interrupting. I replayed the image of the Pegasus in my mind once again, trying to fully grasp what it meant. I knew it from somewhere before. And being called Little Maiden. That was something important, too. Someone called me that, long ago. It was still so hazy. Like a memory from centuries away that I couldn't get clear in my head. Those golden eyes…the sadness and longing in them…

I shuddered inside my sheets. I turned to my slide and gazed out towards my balcony; my eyes following the flowing curtains as they danced with the warm air. As sleep washed over me, I thought I heard a faint whinny sound from outside.


	3. Memories

I gasped for air as my body flew like the wind towards the horizon. I was running on something very smooth, like glass. A blur of trees and crystal surrounded my sides I ran towards a bright light. Something about it called out to me. I had to reach it. I _needed_ to reach it. As if my life…or someone else's…depended on it.

As it grew closer, I noticed that the light was golden and sparkling. It was smaller than I thought. I saw white underneath it as a silhouette appeared. My pace decreased and I rubbed my eyes. The silhouette faded into the Pegasus I saw before. Its hooves tapped against the glass beneath us, almost startling me. I stopped completely when I was only a few feet away from it, terrified of scaring it away. My hands grasped my chest as I caught my breath, looking at the magnificent animal in awe. Its head looked straight at me, and I was stunned by those same golden eyes.

"_Little Maiden…"_ There was that voice again. It seemed close like before, and I turned to see that no one else was around us. Was the animal itself talking to me somehow? I glanced back at it with a frown in confusion. _"You're not so little anymore, I see."_

"Who are you? How do you know me?" I whispered. The animal shook its head slightly and neighed a little. I wanted to step closer. But my bare feet stayed in place.

"_Has it been too long? I apologize."_ The Pegasus's wings flexed at its sides. I forced my legs to move. I yelled at my muscles, at my toes, to pick themselves up. Slowly, I took a step towards the animal. Its lips moved and made a low sound that I couldn't distinguish. _"You really are unsure of me?"_

I lowered my head, feeling guilty for some reason. My fingers intertwined at my chest. I heard hooves scrape across the glass below and I shot my head back up to see the beautiful animal approach me. Its head extended towards me, just like before. I released one of my hands and reached for it, aching to feel its warmth. Once it was near enough, my fingers lightly grazed across the velvety hair on its nose. Its head gentle pushed against my hand, making me giggle a little. All this seemed too familiar. What had I forgotten?

"This feels…familiar…" I whispered as I gently felt up the animal's nose. Its mane felt incredibly soft as my fingers entwined around strands of its hair. "Have we met before?"

"_You have forgotten me, Little Maiden?" _I gazed down at its eyes and felt a sharp pain in my heart. The gold seemed twisted in hurt as they looked at me. My mind raced, trying to remember who this was. I had to have met this animal before. The sweet scent of roses was familiar, the warms from its skin, the soft hair, the eyes…why couldn't I remember?

"I…I'm sorry…" I choked. Those eyes burned into my head. The animal pulled away from me and I frowned.

"_No, it is my fault. I waited too long. Of course you would have forgotten me. I'm not sure why I expected…hoped otherwise."_

I felt tears form around my eyes. This was hurting some deep part of me. I was causing this wonderful animal pain. My hands grabbed my head and I grunted while trying to remember. A neighing sound distracted me and I opened my eyes. Its wings unfolded, and the Pegasus jumped into the air.

"No! Don't leave! Please!" I cried out to it, but it was in the distance before my voice could reach it. I felt my knees buckle and I slid onto the glass. Tears pours into my hands as I held my face, devastated.

"_Forgive me…"_


	4. Darkness

"Lady Serenity! Lady Serenity! You're late!" Diana's screeching woke me up. I sprung upwards, faintly noticing the wetness on my pillow. Diana fell backwards and scrambled back to her little feet. "Mars is going to yell at you!" I jumped out of my bed and hustled to get some normal clothing on. The easiest thing to put on was a slip-on sundress that was a basic shade of purple, with thin straps. I slid my feet into sandals and ran outside to meet my trainer.

"You promised you wouldn't be late! I thought you were better than your mother!" Sailor Mars's voice shivered through my bones as I gulped for air, exasperated.

"I am so sorry! I had trouble sleeping…" I managed to squeak out. I looked at her and immediately wished I hadn't. Nothing was scarier than her voice, outside of her face. It was warped into that of a monster-like scowl. Her arms were tightly crossed at her chest and her red high heel was smacking the ground with irritation. She huffed at me.

"Transform. There's no time to waste today," she growled. "I only have so much time before the others snag you away for party preparations." Without hesitation, I pulled out a small compact. It was bright pink, with swirls of gold and silver around the top, outlined into multiple hearts. I pressed a small button on the side and held it into the air, closing my eyes.

"Pink Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!" I summoned, feeling my clothing melt away into thousands of small pink ribbons. My feet were covered by knee-high pink boots while my arms were covered by a pair of white gloves with pink accents at my elbows. The ribbons at my torso formed into a white leotard and a pink miniskirt fluttered across my waist. A long, dark pink bow appeared at my chest, where my compact sat in the center. At my lower back, another dark pink bow formed. A pink, sailor-like cloth draped around my shoulders and down my upper back. A golden tiara appeared across my forehead; a pink crescent moon symbol at the center. Pearls wrapped around my neck and pearl barrettes clipped into my hair. Dark red spheres appeared within my buns while pink crystal earrings locked into my ears. I took a deep breath as my transformation finished. "Ready!"

It felt like hours had gone by. Sailor Mars had me running around the field by my castle doing ridiculous stretches, flips, rolls, jumps, crunches, and lunges. After those, she started me in practice with my crystal's powers. I learned over the centuries that I had incredible powers, including creating shields with my crystal, summoning a sword made out of pure crystal, minimal healing skills, and using my life force to give others power. Sailor Mercury told me once that I could be more powerful than my mother and father combined, if I worked hard enough. My crystal was highly concentrated with the silver crystal that belonged to my mother, and it also had some slivers of the golden crystal, which belonged to my father. I really wanted to prove myself as a strong warrior and a true lady to everyone. Living in my mother's shadow was very daunting.

"Get your head out of the clouds, Sailor Chibi Moon! You're just as bad as your mom sometimes!" I heard Sailor Mars scream angrily as I zoned out once again. I caught myself before I could crash into the nearby garden from running. I wiped my brow in relief and sighed, ignoring the sweat. My body shifted back towards my trainer.

"Sorry!" I yelped and bowed.

"Sailor Mars! Lady Serenity! Hurry! There's trouble!" I heard Luna gasping as her small feline body appeared beside Mars.

_Trouble…_I repeated the word in my head. We haven't experienced trouble in thousands of years! What could possibly be happening? I hurried back over to the two of them, instantly feeling my stomach sink at the sight of Sailor Mars's expression.

"Let's go. The queen needs us!" Sailor Mars said before running back into the castle. I gave Luna a nod and followed.

Everyone sat at the dining table with worry caked onto their faces. I couldn't remember the last time they all looked so emotionally destitute. My mother held her head in her hands as my father held onto her shoulders.

"What's happening?" I asked, holding my breath a little. My mother looked up and her tearful eyes seemed to go right through me. She was sobbing too hard to respond. My father looked at me with his own sad eyes.

"A strange dark mass has appeared not too far from Crystal Tokyo," he started. My mother grasped one of his hands, holding it tightly. "Apparently the mass isn't one of a kind; there are others like it around the planet. People have been trying to attack it, contact it, whatever they can. Anyone who has tried…has been absorbed into the mass." My eyes widened. Absorbed?

"They just appeared moments ago, and I can't get a clear enough reading on what they are made of, where they come from, or if anyone is controlling them." Sailor Mercury said solemnly. Her visor was over her eyes and she frantically was trying to calculate equations on her small computer. My heart began to race.

"What about the Silver Crystal? Can't it do something?" I asked with hope. It was always able to do something in almost every battle I was in as a child, as well as any battle Mom was involved in. I heard my mother sob harder. My father shook his head.

"It's not as strong as it once was, unfortunately. When it gave everyone immortality, it lost its own core strength. Usako already tried as soon as she heard."

"It won't even react anymore…." Mom whimpered between sobs.

"What about mine? Wouldn't it be powerful enough?" I held a hand against my compact at my chest.

"You haven't mastered your crystal yet, Lady Serenity." Sailor Jupiter said. "We aren't sure if it would be safe for you to try and use it that way." I grimaced.

"I have to try! Mom can't transform anymore, which makes me next in line to fight for the planet!" I yelled, feeling rage. I had to do something! I saw my father's hands tighten against my mother's shoulders. She looked up at me again, sniffling. She forced a smile.

"You've grown up so much, ChibiUsa. I'm so proud of you," she said softly. "I believe in you." I smiled back at her. At least someone in this room had faith in me.

"I believe in you too! I'm not gonna sit here and wait for some weird blob to attack this kingdom!" Sailor JunJun exclaimed.

"She's right. We need to figure something out before it gets worse." Sailor CereCere mentioned.

"I think I order to get any better information, we need to get closer to the mass…" Mercury said.

"I don't think that will be a problem…" Artemis muttered. I noticed that his gaze was focused outside through the window. My head turned and I saw a growing blackness filling the sky nearby. Everyone in the room gasped in union as our beautiful sky was eaten up by the strange mass, making the day morph into night.


	5. Enemies

The screaming from outside was hard on my ears, but I did my best to ignore it. We all ran out in front of the Crystal Castle and watched helplessly as the mass infiltrated Crystal Tokyo. My parents stood in front of us, trying their best to keep their composure. Sailor Mercury was working on getting a better reading while the Inner and Asteroid senshi created a wall around us with their powers. I desperately wanted to help. My people were so terrified! They ran around the kingdom, begging for us to help them.

"Look!" Sailor PallaPalla called out, pointing into the distance. We all followed her direction and saw very thin strands of black falling from above. Louder screams were heard, and I gasped in horror as I saw people being pulled into the air, being engulfed into the mass.

"No!" My mother cried, holding the Silver Crystal in her hands. "I have to try again!" She coughed and held it out, closing her eyes and concentrating. "Please, Silver Crystal…I know it's been so long, but I beg of you to help me save my people once again! Silver Crystal Power!" I looked on, hoping it would work. Maybe before was just a fluke. Soft, pink light gleamed from within her hands. I saw my mother's face lighten up.

_Yes! Work!_ My mind cried out. But the swift sense of security left as soon as it came. The pink light fizzled out, and my mother held her head in pain. My father grabbed her as she began to collapse.

"Queen!" Everyone yelled, but no one moved. I moved to her side, seeing how pale she had become.

"Mom! Are you alright?" I exclaimed. She turned her head and faced me, forcing a small smile.

"Yes…I'm alright…just tired…" She whispered. My father helped her back to her feet. Her face fell to her crystal. "This is it, then," she said. "I do not have the power anymore to protect everyone." Her voice cracked at the end of her statement.

"Maybe I do…" My father uttered, raising his silver staff into the air. Golden light sparkled at the top of it and a small crystal appeared. I was speechless for a second while I recognized the color. The golden sparkling crystal matched the eyes of that beautiful Pegasus!

"Golden Crystal Power!" My father voice sounded powerful and determined. It slightly reassured me. Bright beams of golden light seared through the air towards the mass. We watched as the energy shot through the mass, creating little holes. I could hear from cheers from other people. Maybe the golden crystal was powerful enough! "No!" My father growled in disbelief. I shuddered inside while seeing the holes reseal. As they did, I thought I heard faint laughter. The golden crystal on my father's staff faded away.

All the senshi proceeded with their own attack power, sending it at the unknown enemy. The mass only absorbed it. Sailor Mercury frowned.

"It's absorbing everything we send to it. And it's only getting stronger. It's feeding off the energy like a sponge. The golden crystal broke through it, but the mass absorbed that too, using the energy to regenerate itself. I've never seen anything like this; there's in record of it anywhere!" her voice made all of us shake.

"_Use your crystal, Little Maiden!" _That harmonious voice pierced through my mind. My eyes widened. _"Hurry!"_

I didn't have to think on the request. I held out my hands and closed my eyes. "Moon Crystal Power!" My voice chimed against the screaming of the people around us. A burst of pink light shot out from my chest towards the mass.

"No, Lady Serenity!" I heard my guardians scream. I opened my eyes to see if my powers did anything. The energy burned into the mass, and a strange howl bellowed from above us. Had I hurt the thing? My mind became heavy and I felt myself fall backwards, weak. Hands covered me. Before I closed my eyes, I saw whiteness in the distance. Golden eyes.

"Where are you?" I called out. I was on the glass again, in a deep crystalline forest. I was running again, trying to find the Pegasus. "Show yourself! Please!" I pleaded into the air around me. I was still in my senshi outfit, but even in my dram I felt weak. A neighing sound from behind stopped me in my tracks and I turned to see the wonderful creature standing in front of me. "Thank goodness!"I exclaimed with joy and ran to it. It whimpered somewhat as I reached out to touch it. "You came back…" I sighed, feeling its warmth again through my gloves.

"_You called me back." _I heard its velvety soft voice say. I thought I moment and shook my head.

"No I didn't."

"_With your heart, you did. Your strong feelings to help your friends and family called out to me, and I came."_

I gazed into its eyes and felt something tug at my heart. What it said sounded familiar. This happened before. Yes…a very long time ago.

"I'm so sorry, about before. I'm sorry I hurt you by forgetting whatever it is I forgot." My apology wasn't all that great, I knew that. But I desperately wanted to make it feel better. I rubbed against its nose gently.

Suddenly, the glass underneath us began to shake violently. I grabbed onto the Pegasus and held on tightly. It whined as its hooves slid along the glass frantically.

"_Get on my back!"_ It cried. I was too scared to object, so I lunged myself on top of it and wrapped my arms around its neck. Its wings opened up and we took to the air. I looked down and saw the glass cracking.

"What's happening?" I asked, terrified.

"_You are injured. The danger is trying to enter here. I'm so sorry I cannot protect you like I wish." _It sounded pained. Then I remembered: I had used my crystal against the mass! Was I hurt in retaliation? What about mother and father?

"Do you know about what's attacking us?" I wished it knew what was going on. As worried as I was, my muscles relaxed as the cool air touched my skin while we flew.

"_Not much, other than it came from far, far away."_

"Did I hurt it with my crystal?"

"_A little, yes. But you haven't achieved your greatness yet to defeat it."_

"What do you mean?" I had to be the one to defeat it? We dipped in the air as it took me through the trees. They sparkled against the moonlight.

"_You are much more powerful than you realize, Little Maiden. Of course, you didn't believe that back then, either. Always worrying about being a lady…" _My eyes grew larger. I suddenly felt very naked. How did this animal know about me like this? Knew my desires of being a real lady?

"I…I um…" I stuttered. The animal made a noise similar to a chuckle, and I felt myself blush. We landed on a tall cliff. I slid off of the animal and stared blankly into its beautiful eyes.

"_No need to worry, Little Maiden. You've become a lady. I guess I shouldn't call you little anymore."_ Something tugged at my heart again. A memory. Its voice. His voice.

"…Pegasus…?" I whispered, suddenly remembering his name. It neighed happily.

"_You're beginning to remember! I'm so glad!"_ The animal pressed its head against my chest gently, and I rested my head against it.

"Bits and pieces…slowly….I remember this place a little. It's all like a dream I had a long time ago. A dream you were in quite a lot."

The ground shook again. _No!_ My mind yelped. I didn't want to leave this wondrous place. Or leave Pegasus. I was remembering something important.

"_You need to leave. It's becoming dangerous here. Do not worry; I'll always be with you. Just call me." _I saw Pegasus open his wings and lift off into the air. My heart sank. But I knew he was right. I had to return home. _"Be careful, Maiden. The enemy is very powerful. Don't let it fool you."_

"Let it fool me?" I repeated, confused. Before I could ask what he meant, Pegasus was gone.


	6. Newcomer

I was being shaken. My eyes shot open and I saw my mother's blue eyes staring down at me, fearful. "ChibiUsa!" I heard her cry as she held me.

"Mom? What…happened?" I managed to squeeze out. Dad pulled Mom away and I realized I was back inside the castle. In my bed.

"You passed out, ChibiUsa," he said. "We were worried that you wouldn't awaken."

"Did I hurt the…mass?" I didn't know what to call whatever it was. I winced as I sat up. All the senshi were surrounding me. Diana nestled her head against my side and I pet her. Sailor Mercury stepped forward.

"Yes, surprisingly. It's trying to heal itself as we speak." I smiled.

"Great! I need to go back out there and do it again!" I pulled the blanket from me, but my father took my hand into his.

"Not yet, ChibiUsa. You're too weak. Your chest was injured from your attack. You need to rest." My chest was hurt? I glanced down and noticed bandaging underneath my gown, across my upper torso. I traced a finger along the cloth and cringed as the stinging pain. Pegasus was right. I was injured.

"What about everyone else?"

"We are doing our best with our own powers. The mass stopped taking people and is being stoic, outside of healing. We can keep an eye on it for now." Sailor Jupiter piped in.

"You don't need to worry. We can handle things for now!" Sailor Venus grinned.

"Did you get a hold of Uranus?" I heard Sailor Mars ask. Mercury nodded. They contacted the Outer senshi? This had to be bad.

"They are coming as soon as possible. Pluto said she could sense the energy from across the galaxy. Saturn is coming, too."

"Good. We'll need all the help we can get." My father said, pulling my mother away from the bed. "Let's let her rest, Dear." He whispered into her ear, just loud enough that I could hear. I began feeling light headed and laid back in my bed. The Asteroid senshi stood at my balcony.

"We're staying here to watch over you, Princess." Sailor PallaPalla said. "Get some sleep."

As the others left my room, I slipped back into slumber, without any dreams.

"HELP ME! PLEASE!" A male voice woke me up. I sprung up in my bed and saw my friends in defensive positions along my bed.

"What's going on?" I exclaimed.

"Some guy is outside. Seems badly beat up, too. The others are taking care of it…" VesVes said. I pushed myself out of my bed, slowly walking towards the balcony. CereCere grabbed my arm.

"Not a smart idea, Princess. We don't know if he is someone to trust."

"I have to see for myself." I demanded and walked onto my balcony. My fells fell upon a horrific, yet attractive sight below me.

A young man, looking around my age, was talking to Sailor Venus and Sailor Mars. My parents stood behind them, also talking to him. He had jet black hair that was messy, covering the sides of his face. His body looked like it was grinded up, due to all the blood that covered his skin. His clothing was partially missing, outside of part of a shirt and most of his pants. What struck me most were the crimson red eyes he had.

"Please, help me!" he cried. "I didn't know where else to go…" I watched on as my mother approached him. My father looked cautious.

"What is your name?" My mother asked in her usual gentle voice. He looked at her and I could see him bite his lip at the side.

"Ilias," The young man said. "Ilias is my name."

"Welcome, Ilias, to Crystal Tokyo." My mother smiled warmly at the stranger.

"Where did you come from?" Sailor Mars asked. Ilias pointed to the mass, making everyone gasp.

"I was taken…from my home. I somehow got freed when a strange pink light hit it."

"No wonder you're injured! Come, come. Let's get you bandaged up!" My mother demanded, carefully taking hold of Ilias's arm and taking him inside. I could tell that Venus and Mars were not as convinced as my mother of his story. Something about him intrigued me.

"Something's off about that guy…" JunJun grumbled from beside me. I glanced over and saw the other girls looking just as suspicious. The young man seemed so frail. I wanted to go see him.

"I should get something to eat," I said. "Otherwise my stomach will hate me." Gloved hand grabbed my arms and I sighed as CereCere and VesVes held me up. "I can walk myself, you know."

"We don't want to take any risks! The queen would kill us if you took a spill down the stairs." VesVes stern voice made me shrug. Seeing no point in fighting, I let them spot me as I left my room in search of nourishment.

Everyone in the castle was running around in borderline hysterics. Between the confusion of the people outside, the unknown enemy in the sky, and the sudden newcomer, I could understand why everyone was so upset. I winced while I walked, feeling my chest burn oddly. Using that attack really did a number on me. If I was going to defeat this new foe, I'd have to get a better grip on my crystal's power.

The kitchen, thankfully, was relatively empty. Once there, I shoved the girls off of me and demanded to make my own food. The servants clearly had other things on their minds. I made a small breakfast, including eggs and noodles. My cooking improved over the years, and I still made better cookies than Mom. I smiled a little at the memory of us fighting over whose cookies were better when I was younger.

Wobbly was an understatement when it came to my legs. I refused any more spotting from my friends as I pushed myself towards the dining room. When I turned the corner, I froze in place. The young man from before was sitting alone at the far end of the table, eating something and coughing. Why wasn't anyone helping him? Or keeping an eye on him at least? My eyes narrowed slightly as I entered the room, unsure of how to proceed. His face lifted as he surely heard me and I was stunned by the beauty of his red eyes as they looked at me in wonder.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," I said, blushing. His pale face brightened as he smiled at me. "I am Princess Lady Serenity. It's a pleasure to meet you." I slowly approached the table, sliding my plate across the glass. Getting closer to the table gave me a better look at the stranger. He had been cleaned of his blood and bandaging covered most of his arms. His skin was a grayish color, reminding me of porcelain. His hair flopped over her eyes a little as they watched every move I made. The servants must've given him new clothes, replacing the tattered ones with a fresh pair of white pants and a loose white t-shirt. I heard the footsteps of my guardians not far behind; making sure I was safe, I figure. "May I sit by you?" I asked politely, not wanting to scare him. He nodded.

"Of course, Princess. It is your castle, after all." His voice was like music. It was beautifully melodic, like a classical piece. A shiver shot down my spine. My body situated itself in a seat one spot away from him and I smiled warmly to reassure him. So many questions floated around in my head. Who was he? Where did he come from? How was he captured? What was it like inside that mass? Did he know what it was? How did he really escape? I worried for a moment that I'd get a headache from all the thoughts. "Let me introduce myself. I am Ilias. It's an honor meeting someone as lovely as you." I instantly blushed at his words. To refocus myself, I gazed over his injuries.

"You look like you were very badly injured. Are you in a lot of pain?" I pointed to his arms and upper chest, since they seemed to be worse off. He frowned.

"I don't feel too much, thanks to your mother. When I came inside, there was a strange flash of light, and I felt warm all over my body. My wounds healed a bit, as if by magic. But I did lose a lot of blood, so I was instructed to eat some food before resting…" He trailed off, making me feel terrible for him. At least the Silver Crystal still had some power in it. His eyes fell onto his plate of half-eaten food.

"My mother is very kind like that. If she sees someone in trouble, she'll do anything to help them. I'm glad you feel a little better." I swirled the eggs around my plate. "Where did you come from? I mean, before being here?" I was too curious not to ask. The strange young man glanced back to me and smiled again. It warmed my heart.

"A very small town on the outskirts of a big city on the west end of this planet. I was in the middle of helping my mother put groceries in our house when…that thing…appeared in our sky," he said as his face became unreadable. "Everyone was in a panic. I tried to shield my mother when I saw a weird rope-like thing come down and grab me. The last thing I remember is waking up on a street here in severe pain…"

"Oh…I am so sorry that happened to you. We are going to do all we can to get rid of whatever that is up there. Then we can return you to your family." I said. I reached my hand out and touched his arm. He winced at the touch, and I wanted to pull back, thinking I caused him pain. But his other hand rested itself over mine, and I felt incredible warms from his palm.

"Your heart is as beautiful as you are, Princess. Thank you." His voice made me blush again. Our eyes locked for a moment and I felt my cheeks burning up. My mind went blank as we were frozen in our gaze.

"Princess, you should really get back into bed." I heard CereCere instruct. I broke my gaze away from him and realized I had not eaten my food yet.

"But, I haven't finished my meal." I didn't want to leave this wonderful new person.

"You can take it up with you. You shouldn't be straining yourself." PallaPalla walked over to my side and picked up my plate. I frowned.

"I didn't notice that you were hurt too. My apologies for keeping you from proper rest." Ilias quickly bowed his head. I shook my hands.

"No, no. It's alright, really. I'm fine." I strained myself as I stood. My legs were still not fully cooperating with me. A groan of frustration pelted through my lips. VesVes came over to me and wrapped an arm around my waist to help me up.

"Let's go, Lady Serenity," she said sternly as she led me away from the table. I turned my head to get one last look at the stranger before leaving. He smiled at me and waved.

"Until we meet again, Princess. Rest well."

"You too, Ilias." I said back to him. And then we were gone.


	7. Strategies

I stood out on my balcony, staring up at the blackness that disrupted the world around me. My chest was almost fully healed now, and I had stealthily taken off the bandaging. A circular scar formed between my breasts, but it was easy to hide underneath my dress. A day (well 24 hours) had passed since this strange new enemy appeared. Nothing else was happening. No new attacks from it, no new disappearances, and no new reports of more sightings. The senshi were huddled in my father's monitor room in the basement of the castle, trying to figure out ways to deal with the darkness. My mother stayed in the throne room and did her best to reassure the public, with Luna and Artemis's help. My friends were constantly at my side for protection, but a little while ago I forced them to join the other senshi. They should know as much as the others in case they could help.

Ilias, to my knowledge, had been resting in a guest room on the opposite of my hall. Earlier in the day, I asked Sailor Mars and Venus what they thought of him. Venus told me she thought he was very cute, of course. Mars was more skeptical, warning me to keep my distance from him due to her having a strange feeling about him. I wasn't so sure myself. He seemed like a fine person. My mind began to wonder to Pegasus's warning from before. About the new enemy and how powerful it was. What did he mean by it fooling me?

My fingers rested along the crystalline railing in front of me as I stared into the darkness, trying to understand it all. Subtle snoring from Diana on my bed carried through the breeze alongside me. I opened my mouth to call Pegasus out, since he said he would appear.

"It was you…" A voice made me jump. Hissing from my bed made me turn. Ilias was standing in my doorway, gazing at me with his deep eyes. Diana was awake and hissing at the intrusion. Her back arched high in the air and he tail was flared out in fluff. He ignored her and kept talking. "…who saved me." My heart was racing as I caught m breath.

"Ilias, you scared me!" I patted my chest lightly and walked back into my room. "Diana, calm down. He's okay." I said to my furry friend. She snarled and sat down. Diana really hated being woken up like that. I looked back to Ilias as he leaned against the door frame with his hands holding onto the crystal.

"You saved me, Princess," he repeated. "Your heart saved me from that creature." My eyes widened. My heart? Oh! My crystal's attack! That must be what he meant.

"Ilias, are you feeling alright?" I asked him cautiously.

"I heard from the others how you attacked that thing. You weakened it. It was how I was able to escape. I remember breaking free from its hold. A horrible screeching came from all around me, and I fell down…"His fingers grasped at the crystal as he spoke. "Your attack came from your heart, did it not?"

I was unsure of how to respond. "Um…I guess you could say that." Before I could say any more, he quickly approached me and pulled me into an embrace. Diana snarled. I was frozen for a moment before I realized that he was hugging me.

"Thank you, Princess. I do not have any way to properly pay you back for what you've done. I owe you my life!" He sounded exasperated. I wondered if he really slept at all. My arms felt the tightness of his back as I returned the gesture. I could smell something sweet from him, like peppermint. Something wet ran down my shoulder. He was crying?

"You don't owe me anything. It's my duty and wishes to protect everyone, even if you are not part of my immediate kingdom." I said softly. His grip loosened and he pulled away, rubbing his tears away.

"Princess…" he whispered in his harmonious voice. It made me want to melt all over. He took hold of my slender arm and kissed the back of my palm. I blushed furiously and gasped. Diana jumped off my bed and ran to my feet, looking up at him with concerned eyes.

"Oh my…um…there's no need for that, Ilias." I stammered in embarrassment and pulled my hand away. I glanced at Diana and picked her up, cuddling her in my arms. "Diana, this is Ilias," I introduced her. He smiled at her. "Ilias, this is my very best friend, Diana."

"It's a pleasure, Diana." He said, patting her on her head.

"Nice to meet you, too!" She spat. His eyes widened.

"Your cat speaks?"

"Of course I speak. I'm not a normal breed of cat, you know." She sounded irritated. It made me uncomfortable.

"Diana, there's no need for such hostility." I said to her. She huffed.

"You must be an enchantress, Princess. Your kingdom is full of magic!" Ilias purred to me, making me blush again.

"No, it's not like that…" I wanted to explain. But I didn't get the chance. I heard rough footsteps running up the stairs and saw Sailor JunJun appear at the door.

"Lady Serenity!" She gasped as she pulled her green hair out of her eyes. "Your father wishes to see you—" Her eyes instantly darkened as they darted to Ilias. "What is _he_ doing here?"

"Oh, he just came to thank me—"

"I am sorry if I did something wrong. I just wanted to thank the princess for saving me, that's all." His soft voice rang like chimes in my ears. He walked over to JunJun who stood in a defensive stance. "I'll retreat to my room to rest." He flashed me a charming smile as he past JunJun. She peered at me and shrugged.

"Dad wants to see me? About what?" I asked as I pet Diana, who seemed much happier now.

"He has an idea about what to do about that blob thing. And it involves you."

"Oh! Okay, then!" I grinned as followed JunJun down to the monitor room. My heart jumped at the thought that I could really help out in this battle. It made me want to hug my father tightly, but I would save that for later.

Flickering lights enveloped me as I saw all the senshi circled around my father in the center of the large room. My face immediately brightened when I saw that Sailor Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and Pluto had arrived. Diana leapt out of my arms and perched herself near my father.

"Hello, Small Lady." Sailor Pluto smiled. She was the only one who still called me that name.

"Hi, Puu." I smiled back. She had been a dear friend of mine in childhood, protecting me through time travel. Now she protected the outer galaxy with the other Outer Senshi. My eyes briefly fell upon Sailor Saturn. She and I were close friends when we were younger. But Hotaru's senshi duties became her dominant lifestyle when we finished schooling, so she joined the others many years ago. I wanted to hug each of them, but I resisted. Now was not the time.

"Welcome, ChibiUsa." My father welcomed me. "Glad to see you are feeling much better."

"Yes, thank you. So what's this about a strategy?" I asked, joining the circle.

"Hmm. Well," my father turned to a monitor that was high above us all. Each monitor in the room covered different areas of the kingdom. The main one we ll focused on covered the mass in the sky. "Mercury discovered a weakness in this enemy."

"After gathering data from your attack on the mass, as well as information from people all across the planet, I've concluded that this enemy is pure energy."

"Pure energy?" I exclaimed in shock. Mercury gave me a swift nod. My father pointed to the monitor as various equations and data points appeared over the image.

"Whatever this mass is, it is made of pure energy. Negative energy. We still are not sure what its origins are, but it is capable of only consuming."

"That's why it stole people like it did, like Ilias?" I asked, starting to grasp the concept. My father nodded.

"Yes. Ilias was lucky because he was able to free himself."

"_Your heart saved me…" _Ilias's voice echoed in my head. I shook it off and tried to listen.

"The power from your crystal somehow managed to interrupt the energy flow of the mass. Usagi's crystal and Mamoru's crystal were not able to conduct nearly as much damage." Sailor Uranus said. I looked over at her and smiled slightly as she stroked Neptune's teal hair between her gloved fingers. It was nice to see they were as close as ever.

"Yes." My father replied. "It seems that ChibiUsa's crystal is going to be the only option in fighting this new enemy. Although we are trying to find other alternatives..." His mention of alternatives burned at my mind. Wasn't I good enough?

"What do you mean alternatives? My crystal works, so why not use it?" I scowled. His tall form turned to me.

"You remember what your mother went through, don't you? None of us want you to go through that." His words were tense. It was true that my mother used to crystal to the point where she would perish, but she always came back one way or another. Besides, I would rather give up my life than to see my world destroyed.

"Any updates on what the mass may be planning on doing?" Sailor Neptune asked. My father shook his head.

"We have no idea what its goal is, outside of the assumption that it will want to absorb all human energy."

I bit my lip. I had to fight this thing. If only I had help. This was so much pressure. And we had no time. It could attack at any moment. No time could be wasted.

"Alright then. It's obvious that I will have to fight this monster." I said with determination. My father's face fell with a sigh. Like mother, like daughter.

"But, Princess…" I heard CereCere whisper.

"No. It's been proven that my crystal holds the power needed to at the very least harm this thing. If I can control it enough, maybe I can fully eradicate it. If I can hurt it that much, then you guys can use your own powers to help me. That way, I won't overuse its power, and nothing will happen to me."

"Nothing?" My father arched an eyebrow, glancing own at my missing bandages. I blushed and crossed my arms over my chest.

"That was a fluke. I didn't focus enough. I'm sure I can control it. I've been training and training my powers for centuries, Dad. This is a perfect opportunity to show you all what I've learned." I smiled widely to show my confidence to them. I could sense their concern. Why was I still being treated like a child? "Really, I can do this. I'll be queenly-age soon. How will I rule this kingdom if I can't even protect it?"

There was a long pause as everything looked deep in their own thoughts. I chewed on the corner of my lip, praying that I convinced them enough. I felt my father's hand on my shoulder.

"You are so much like your mother, it's incredible." He finally said in defeat. "If I learned anything, it's to now underestimate the power of determination in this family. Do as you wish, ChibiUsa. But, everyone here must protect you. Your mother and I will stay at the castle." I hugged him tightly, surprising him.

"Thanks, Daddy," I whispered my loving childhood nickname for him as I squeezed. "I'll make you and Mom proud. I promise."

"I know you will." He squeezed me back and let me go. "We will strike at midnight. That will give ChibiUsa enough time to fully recover, as well as all of you to prepare." Everyone in the room nodded in union to my father's instructions. I suddenly felt as though eyes are burning into my back, but when I turned, I saw no one behind me.

_How strange…_I thought. My stomach rumbled. Sailor Pluto laughed gently.

"Time to eat?" She said humorously. I chuckled.

"Guess so."

"I'll have dinner prepared for us and will let Usako in on the plans." My father briskly left the room, and the other senshi followed.

"We believe in you, Princess." I heard Sailor Neptune say in her gentle voice as she passed with Uranus.

"We will protect you at all costs, ChibiUsa." Sailor Saturn put a hand on my shoulder before passing me. I nodded to her quickly and sighed. I began feeling butterflies jabbing the sides of my stomach. Is this nervousness what my mother felt before all those horrible battles?

"Let's go, Lady Serenity. You need all the rest you can get." Sailor VesVes practically pushed me to the stairs. I grumbled at her forcefulness and shrugged as I walked up with the rest of the group. The butterflies didn't let up.


	8. Deception

Dinner was comforting in a way. It reminded me of normalcy that was truly lacking. My mother seemed delighted that the Outer senshi had joined us, and most of the conversations surrounding the dinner table were how everyone was doing. My mother always had an uncanny way of lifting everyone's' spirits during potential disaster. I forced myself to eat, trying to subdue those horrible butterflies. I noticed that there was an empty seat; Ilias had not joined us. I asked one of the servants why he wasn't with us. She said he had not left his room the last few hours. _Maybe I'll check on him before I fight,_ I thought. _Only a few hours before it's time…_

I excused myself early to get mentally prepared for the upcoming battle. I requested to be left alone so I could focus easier. I crept down the hallway, careful not to disturb Ilias if he were asleep in his room. As my hands grazed the marble doorknob, I held my breath. Slowly, I opened the door and peeked through the crack. I saw that his bed was clean and empty. I exhaled and fully opened the door. No one was in the room. "Ilias?" I called out. No answer. _Where did he go?_ I thought to myself as I further entered the room. Something seemed off.

"_Get out, Maiden!" _I heard Pegasus's voice call out to me.

"What?" I whispered before I felt hands grab my arm from behind. I jumped and saw Ilias smiling warmly at me.

"I'm sorry, Princess. I seem to be doing that a lot to you today." His velvety voice soothed my nerves. "Were you looking for me?"

"Ye…yes, I was. I wanted to make sure you were alright. You didn't come down to dinner…" I gasped as my pounding heart started to slow. He chuckled a little and let go of my arm.

"I apologize. I was not hungry. I went to sleep and just recently woke up. I heard a voice calling for dinner, but I wasn't very interested."

"Where were you just now?" I inquired, reminding myself of the made bed behind us.

"I was looking at the beautiful artwork in your hallways. I went searching for a restroom a few moments ago and upon my return, I was struck by the beauty of it all. Your kingdom is very glorious, Princess." His voice was making me melt again inside. What was with this unnatural power he had over me? My sudden suspicions began to disappear. Why had Pegasus warned me to leave? Ilias was so innocent.

"But the art and architecture of this kingdom fails in comparison to you, Princess." His voice became almost sultry as he took my hand, similarly to earlier.

"Ilias…there's no need for flattery." I said sharply. His hand was warm against mind, making those butterflies feel like they were at ware within my gut. His crimson eyes pierced right through me. My breathing hastened.

"I'm not trying to flatter you. I am merely stating the truth. I have never seen such a radiant beauty in all my years. I can sense how lonely you feel inside, because I feel that way, too."

"Lonely…" I said softly, lost in his eyes. I did feel lonely. It seemed like everyone had someone at their side. The inner senshi all had significant; the Asteroid senshi had each other through their strong friendships, Neptune and Uranus had each other, and my parents had each other. I was alone.

"The moment my eyes fell on you, I felt a longing in my heart. Something I never felt before. Knowing that you saved me from what would have been a terrible death made me feel it all the stronger…" His hand squeezed mine. "I want to help you through this battle you must face. We can fight together. I may not be as powerful as you, but…." His face drew closer to mine. I was frozen; his eyes making my body petrify with their beauty. "I can give you the support you really need." What was happening? I should move. Something really wasn't right. How did he know I was going to fight? I could feel his hot breath brush against my nose and lips. I started to feel a strange longing. A want. A need.

_Move, you idiot! Move! _My mind screamed at itself. But none of my bones or nerves reacted. Part of me wanted to stay frozen. The butterflies in my stomach froze. I closed my eyes, awaiting the inevitable. "Let me be at your side, Princess…"

"_No! Don't let him do this!" _Pegasus pleaded within my head. My eyes shot open and I felt my body regain its mobility. I broke away from Ilias's hold before his lips could touch mine. His face twisted into that of anger as I stepped back.

"Look, Ilias. I don't know what you think you're doing, but I don't even know you. We've just met and I have more important matters to worry about." I felt a little guilty for sounding so rude, but it had to be done. "By the way, how did you know I had to fight?" His angry expression changed into a calm one as he let out a loud laugh.

"I really thought I had you. No one has rejected my charm before. I should not have underestimated you." His eyes seemed to glow, making my butterflies come back tenfold.

"What..?" I was utterly confused.

"No matter. I'll still get what I want!" He growled unnaturally and lunged towards me. I screamed and turned to run. His hands grabbed at my dress, tearing it at my lower back.

"_Maiden!"_ I heard Pegasus's cry. Without hesitation, I screamed again.

"PEGASUS!" My voice shrilled into the wind from the balcony doors as they burst open. A loud neigh flowed from outside as the magnificent horse appeared. Tears ran down my cheeks as I scrambled towards it. I heard Ilias gasp in surprise; his hold on me loosening. I screamed again as I pulled myself away, leaving part of my gown with my attacker as I ran to my savior. I jumped as quickly as I could, landing gracefully on Pegasus's back. I glanced back into the room, hearing my friend's voices ringing my name as they neared. Ilias growled in anger as the Asteroid senshi appeared in the room. He snarled at them and clapped his hands together, disappearing in a billow of fog that appeared around his body. Everything happened so fast that I felt lightheaded.

"_Hold on to me, I'll keep you safe, Maiden." _Pegasus's voice felt so safe. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against its mane as we flew into the air.

_I'm sorry, everyone…_I thought as I slipped into unconsciousness.


	9. Truths

"_Maiden, please awaken." _I heard Pegasus call out to me. My eyes hesitated in opening. I felt very warm. A soft sigh fell from my lips as I yawned and stretched out my arms.

"Where am I?" I faintly asked as my eyes finally opened up. I was in a strange bed. Everything around me was marble, outside of the satin sheets covering me. Tall columns surrounded me, and I gasped at the beautiful sight of hundreds of white and red roses that bloomed all around. I sat up slowly, looking around for Pegasus. "Pegasus?" I called out. Its hooves trotted against the marble ground as the creature appeared from behind a row of columns. Its heard turned to me, and a pair of relieved golden eyes set on mine. I smiled.

"_Feeling well rested?"_ He asked me. With a nod, I yawned. The animal seemed to laugh. _"Good."_

"Where is this place?" I asked. Pegasus came closer to the bed. "I feel like I've been here before, somehow."

"_You have."_ I reached out to touch the animal; my fingers lightly rubbing its neck. I pulled myself through the warm sheets and my bare feet touched the cool marble tiles.

"Oh! My gown!" I gasped, remembering how Ilias had torn it. I looked down at myself and noticed a different garment covering me. It was a silky white gown with ruffles along the low neckline. As I stood up, the wavy bottom just touched my feet. There were no sleeves, and I felt slightly cold, rubbing my arms.

"_I thought you might like a new one." _I smiled at my friend.

"Thank you so much, Pegasus." I said as I felt the soft material between my fingers. "Thank you for saving me, too." I blushed a little as I spoke. "I'm sorry for not listening to you. I should've known that guy was trouble." The memory of Ilias's attempted kiss created goosebumps along my arms in disgust.

"_It is I who should be apologizing, Maiden. I did not come soon enough. That should never have happened." _I placed a hand on my friend's mane, brushing through the soft hair. His eyes looked so sad.

"You came at a perfect time. Don't blame yourself." I sighed, leaning my head briefly against his hair. "So, you say I've been here before?" I wondered aloud as my eyes watched as a light breeze made the flowers swerve from side to side. I lifted my head and Pegasus took a few steps backwards. My hands recoiled to my chest.

"_I want to show you something." _Pegasus said. I nodded to him to continue and he led me through a long hall of columns. The scenery was breathtaking. The sky above was a mixture of different shades of blue, pink, and yellow. Cotton-like clouds hung against the colors, making it look like a painting. The roses were everywhere outside of the structure. An endless sea of beautiful flowers. I was silently admiring the environment as I followed Pegasus, also wondering what he wanted to show me. Pegasus stopped at the end of the open hallway. I saw a set of steps, leading to a strange wall of light blue flame.

"So pretty…" I whispered. I glanced over at Pegasus. "What is this?"

"_This is where I watch over you, Maiden."_ I gasped under my breath. _"I've watched you grow into the beautiful Maiden that you are now."_ My eyes lay back on the fiery wall, and I slowly ascended the stairs, full of curiosity. This all looked familiar to me. The fire before me flickered as I neared. I wanted to touch it. A strange image began to appear in the flames. An image of me as a young girl, not more than 'twelve years old'. My eyes widened as I saw myself, in yellow pajamas. I was on my knees, reaching up to touch Pegasus.

"I…I remember this…" I whispered. My eyebrows furrowed as I tried to regain the memory. "Yes…I remember riding you, asking you what you liked and disliked. I used to stay up all night and talk to you about how irritated I was with my mother, how my friends were at school…I…" I placed a hand at my mouth as another memory flooded my mind. My fingers glided across my lips. The image in the flames shifted into something else. I saw my young face inches away from Pegasus's. I lost my breath as I remembered that moment. My cheeks were burning. How could I have forgotten? How could I have forgotten something so important to me? To my heart? The horse in the flames melted away into that of a boy. His lips touched mine, and I felt a tear run down the side of my face. "Helios…" I gulped.

"Yes, Maiden. I am right here." I heard his voice clearly. It wasn't in my mind anymore. I turned away from the flames and saw _him_ staring at me, with his gorgeous gold eyes. His hair was the same as I remembered it: fluffy and white, just barely touching his eyes. It was still short; winding down and around his ears. A small gem was in the middle of his forehead in the shape of a droplet of rain. His white outfit was the same. It was elegant with gold and blue tassels at his chest. Long white sleeves covered his slender arms and his tunic-like shirt ran down his waist and flowed like a cape behind him. Matching white pants ran down his legs, and I could see white boots beneath them. A long dark blue ribbon was tied tightly around his waist. He held his arms out to me.

"Oh, Helios!" I exclaimed, feeling my legs take on a life of their own. My arms wrapped around him as our bodies embraced in a tight hug. His suit smelled like lilac and roses as I nuzzled my head into the cloth, sobbing. His hand rested against the back of my neck, stroking it lovingly as I cried. Everything poured back into my memory. Meeting Pegasus for the first time, being saved by him every time I called, seeing his body caught in Nehellenia's webbing, seeing him hurt, kissing him to revive him…seeing him leave me…how on earth did I forget it all? "I'm so sorry…" My voice was muffled as I spoke into his chest. My fingers gripped at the back of his shirt, never wanting to let go.

"Shh…it's alright, Maiden." His voice was just as soothing as it was when I was young. I then thought of how I must look to him. I stifled my crying and sniffled, pulling away from him. His face was as warm and friendly as ever. I felt more terrible for what I did to him. His hand moved from the back of my neck to my cheek, rubbing a trail of tears from my skin. "You're here now. That's all that matters." His eyes were soft, longing.

"I'm sorry I hurt you like that. I can't believe I forgot you…you're so…" _Important to me…_I finished in my head, scared of saying it aloud. I was so young when we last met. Innocent. Naïve, even. Would he like what he saw now? Was I enough of a lady for him? Was I even good enough? After what I had done, I could understand it if he wanted nothing else to do with me. His warm smile enchanted me as I sniffled again.

"It's alright. I understand. It's been so long since we last met. Thousands of years have gone by. I should not have been surprised that so many years of distractions could bury your memories." His hand felt so warm against my cheek. I covered it with my own hand, silently cursing for the fact that it was shaking a little. How could he be so forgiving? "But I'm glad you remember me now."

"Helios…I…" My eyes dropped down as my heart pounded in my chest. I found it harder to breathe. I desperately wanted to tell him everything. How I felt back then, how though even buried, my feelings for him never changed. How I worked so hard to impress him. But I couldn't formulate the words.

"I've missed you, Maiden. Or should I say Lady Serenity. You've grown up a lot since I last saw you." He said. I felt my cheeks burn. My hand squeezed his gently. "Your dream has never been more beautiful. And neither have you, Princess." His voice sounded like a coo. Oh no. The butterflies were back in my stomach. I bit my lip as I forced myself to glance back at him.

"Thank you," was all I could muster out of me. Every fiber of my body was screaming. Centuries of buried feelings were finally being released, and all I wanted to do was kiss him. Was that too forward of me? It had to be. So much has happened. I've changed so much. The world has change

I gasped.

"Crystal Tokyo!" I inhaled sharply. "Ilias…he…!" The images of what happened earlier made me feel sick. Helios sighed and let go of me.

"I apologize for not being able to help you sooner, truly. That is my fault. But my connection to you was so weak. I was only able to make a clearer connection when your memories started to return." I watched him as he walked around me and went up to the wall of flames. "All I could do was watch helplessly through this window into your life. I hoped for so long that you would call out to me again. I cannot leave here without that. I almost lost hope until a few days ago, when something startled my prayers." He turned to look at me with sad eyes. "I sensed the strange danger of what was to come. I wanted to warn you, to protect you. But our bond became so weak…I had to muster much of my energy to appear to you that night."

"It really was you outside of my balcony?" I asked, remembering the apparition I had seen. He nodded slowly and continued.

"I hoped that seeing me would trigger a recollection of your memories. When I realized that you had _completely_ forgotten about me, I was devastated." A heavy weight pulled on my heart from his words. My hands clasped at my chest. "But I knew that protecting you was more important than my sadness. So I used as much of my energy as I could to appear to you in your dreams, to remind you of us." I started to walk up the stairs as he spoke. He didn't seem to notice. "If only I had gotten you to remember sooner, I would've been able to keep you far away from that monster."

"That's why you tried to warn me, isn't it?" I asked as I met back up with him at his side. "You knew he was going to try to do something to me." Helios nodded, some hair falling over his eyes. His hands turned into fists at his sides, making me frown as I sensed the anger emanating from him.

"If that creature had touched you…if I didn't get there when I did…I do not know what I would have done." His voice deepened into almost a growl. I tugged on his sleeve. His beautiful face glanced to me and I smiled at him.

"Like I told you before, don't blame yourself. You _did_ save me. And I am so glad you did." I sighed. My hand fell to one of his fists and held it. His fingers relaxed in my grip.

"Your heart has grown, Maiden." Helios chimed. "You've become such a wonderful young woman." My heart fluttered inside my chest. My eyes fell.

"I don't know about that…"

"Why do you doubt yourself?" I pulled away and gazed into the fire.

"Because I don't feel like I've achieved much of anything. I'm still not a full-fledged warrior. I don't have control over my crystal. And I have no idea how I will rule an entire planet all on my own." I lost myself in the flickering flames. "I'm no better off than when I was a child."

"Oh, you couldn't be farther from the truth." Helios said from behind me. He placed a hand on my shoulder. A jolt of warm electricity sprang through my body.

"I've watched you grow into the woman you are today. I've seen your strength and determination. Your love of your family, friends, and your people. That alone has given you more strength than you can imagine." I saw his hand point to the flames and I saw images of myself from over the years. Images of me training, of learning all the knowledge about my past and about the world. Images of me laughing with my friends, fighting with my mother and making up with her. Growing up. Is this really how Helios saw me? The girl I watched was so pretty and elegant.

"Helios…" I whispered.

"Everyone has faith in you. We all believe in your abilities. You need to embrace that yourself if you are going to defeat Chaos."

My eyes widened. "Chaos?" Chaos was the last great evil my mother fought so many years ago. It _was_ evil. The source of it.

"Yes. Chaos has returned. But this time, it doesn't want your mother." I turned to see his face. It was bleak. "It wants…you." I gasped. Then it all fell into place. Ilias's attempts at seduction, especially after realizing my power hurt the mass in the sky. Saying my heart was what saved him. I vaguely remembered something of Chaos wanting my mother's light. Did it want mine now?

"How did it come back? Didn't my mother defeat it?" Helios shook his head.

"You cannot defeat all evil in the world. Because it exists in everyone, like the two sides of a coin. One cannot exist without the other. Even after defeating something like that, it will always come back someday, in some form. Your mother knew this when she fought Chaos. She chose to allow the possibility of Chaos's return."

My hands pressed against where my heart beat and I turned around. "So is Ilias some form of Chaos himself?" He nodded.

"It was warned that Chaos could return someday. At the time, everyone thought your mother was the purest star. But now that you have grown, your own power has grown. And you have superseded her. Chaos is drawn to you more than he ever was to Sailor Moon. But don't worry," His hands touched mine. I held my breath for a few seconds as my heart pounded under our hands. I looked into his eyes and felt warmth. "I promise to help you this time. I'm going to help you find that confidence you need in order to fight."

"But how? Aren't you supposed to never leave this place for long amounts of time?" Helio's job was protect the Golden Crystal and Elysion. It's why he had to leave me in the first place. His duty was here.

"We can watch over this place while he fights with you, Lady Serenity." I heard a female voice say. Behind us, two young women walked out from behind pillars. They were identical in appearance: both had long white hair and circular buns at the top of their heads. Their eyes were deep shades of green, and their slender bodies were covered by simple white gowns that flowed down to their ankles. I remembered them. They were also protectors of this area. And they helped me find Helios long ago. Helios smiled at them and back to me.

"See? I can be away as long as the fight. The Maenads can do the rest." His hand took one of mine from my chest and held it. "Shall we go save your world?" I smiled back at him and mouthed a thank you to the beautiful twins. Helios whistled into the air and I heard a neighing sound from above. A white Pegasus flew down to us, landing at the bottom of the stairs.

"My great companion will fly us there." Helios said as he led me down the stairs. He was flawless as he settled himself on the horse and pulled me up behind him. My arms slid around his waist and clasped tightly at his front. "To Crystal Tokyo!" he roared, and off we went.


	10. Faceoff

A wave of dread washed over me as we swooped down through the clouds of Earth. The mass was glowing with electrical current sprouting from it. Lighting struck buildings of the city, causing them to collapse. People were screaming everywhere as the haunting laughter I had heard before filled the foggy air. Strange black humanoid creatures were running amuck, shooting energy at anyone nearby. I looked over Helio's side and saw my friends fending off the castle as best they could. The Outer senshi were fighting the humanoids just outside of the castle. Behind them stood the Inner senshi, holding hands and chanting something while bright lights covered the castle in a dome-shaped barrier. _I hope Mom and Dad are alright,_ I thought as we drew closer to my home.

"Small Lady!" Sailor Pluto called out as Helios and I touched ground inside the barrier with his Pegasus. He helped me off and kept me close to him as the others looked on in amazement.

"Lady Serenity!" Diana cried out as she ran to me, my guardians behind her. She jumped into my arms and licked my chin happily.

"Where were you!" Sailor VesVes demanded. I could tell everyone was worried.

"I'm sorry, everyone. But Ilias tried to attack me and—"

"It's my fault, actually. I took her away from here for her safety. Hold me responsible." Helios interrupted me, bowing to my guardians.

"Hey…you're…you're Helios, aren't you?" Sailor CereCere asked. "You were held hostage by Queen Nehellenia?" He stood back up and nodded. The Asteroid senshi all gasped. They were under that queen's control when she kidnapped Helios from Elysion.

"Helios?" I heard the Inner senshi all say in unison, shocked.

"ChibiUsa! ChibiUsa!" My mother screamed from a distance and I saw her running out of the castle with m father at her side. She pulled me into a tight embrace, sobbing in relief.

"Mom…I'm alright…please let go…" I grunted. I pushed her off of me and took a few deep breaths.

"Helios? What are you doing here?" My father asked, as surprised as the others.

"He saved me from Ilias, Dad." I replied. "He knows what's attacking us."

"It's Chaos." Helios said. My parents' faces fell into shock and horror. It was silent among us for a moment as the truth sunk in; only the sounds of the Outer senshi fighting penetrated the barrier.

"Impossible…" Sailor Venus muttered.

"I knew this day would come," my mother said. "There was always a possibility that Chaos could come back."

"Do will we fight it? Does the plan we made before still apply?" Sailor PallaPalla asked.

"I have to fight it." My voice cut through the tension. Everyone looked at me. "That was the original plan, and the identity of the enemy doesn't change that. I'm the only one powerful enough to face it. It wants me, anyway."

"It wants you?" My father asked.

"Chaos wanted Sailor Moon in the past because she was such a bright and powerful star. But Maiden, erm, Lady Serenity is now the brightest star." Helios explained. The others looked at me in awe. I suddenly felt like the main attraction of a freak show.

"The brightest…" Sailor JunJun murmured.

"Star?" Sailor CereCere finished.

"Look, we don't have time for this. I need to get out there and fight!" I growled, sensing the urgency. The Outer senshi couldn't hold off those minions forever. My mother took my hands and smiled at me as tears rolled down her face.

"I'm sorry that I can't be the one to fight this time, ChibiUsa." Regret was in her voice as she spoke. I shook my head.

"It's alright, Mom. It's my turn to protect everyone."

"I believe in you, ChibiUsa." She said. "Mamochan, let's go." She let me go and pulled my father aside with her. He glanced at me lovingly as they walked over to the entrance doors of the castle and stood watch. I pulled out my compact from a pocket that was in my gown and closed my eyes.

"Pink Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!" Within seconds, my outfit changed and I felt my inner power surging through my veins. I held out my hand and concentrated. A burst of pink light erupted from my palm, forming into a crystal sword. Hesitation left me as I sprung into action, running through the barrier alongside my guardians and Helios, towards the humanoids.

I swung my word upwards at one as it lunged at me. The blade sliced through it with ease, and its remains fell to the ground. Smoke billowed from its remains. It was so easy to kill, but then I noticed why the Outer senshi were having difficulty. When one died, two more came towards me. I growled as I continued to slash at the creatures. I heard my comrades using their powers as well to fight. _There has to be a way to stop this…_I thought to myself. They began to swarm around me. These minions weren't giving me a free second to call out any attacks or anything! I started to back up towards the barrier from the sheer forcing of the onslaught. What was I going to do? They weren't letting up, and everyone else was facing their own troubles. Rage filled my insides.

Burning. My chest was burning up. Suddenly, a beam of light exploded through my bow and shot through the humanoids, disintegrating them in one swoop. I screamed angrily as I continued to fight. More beams of light shot out of me, killing the enemies in troves. I could hear the others making sounds of shock, but I ignored them. The rage inside me was getting stronger, as was the light.

"This all you got? Come on, Chaos! You can do better than this!" I taunted as I fought. I needed something better than this to fight. _Come on Ilias, show yourself,_ I thought. Slicing through the remaining minions became too easy. My chest continued to burn as beams shot out around me.

"Impressive, Princess." The minions froze in place, making me stop. The black mass above us suddenly disappeared, revealing a bright blue sky. The beams of light dissipated around me as the burning sensation faded away. I caught my breath as fog formed in the middle of the crystalline battlefield. My eyes narrowed onto the fog. It formed into a body and faded away into Ilias. He wore a black one-piece suit with black boots. His eyes were piercing through me as his lips curled into a wicked grin.

"Ilias, this ends now." I said to him, holding my sword tightly in my hand. It was then I felt sweat running down my forehead. But I kept focused on my next enemy.

"You're not going to try and reason with me? That's no fun. Your mother was a much more delightful opponent." The mention of my mother made my muscles tense. Ilias wasn't real, after all. Just a shell for Chaos.

"Why reason with pure evil? If there's one thing I've learned, it's that things like you will never listen." Ilias's face darkened.

"Hm. You do have a point. Well, I guess we'll see who's better in the end." He spread out his arms and purple energy formed at his palms. "This will be fun. I'm going to run you down first, then take your heart away." I slid my leg back and held my arms out in front of me, grinning at him in a defensive pose.

"If you even get that far." I snapped at him. The energy came roaring at me through the wind, and I closed my eyes.

"Pink Crystal Shield!" I cried out as pink-tinted glass-like energy sparkled around me. The purple energy was deflected, flying off into buildings nearby.

"Princess, let us help!" Sailor PallaPalla called out to me.

"She must do this fight alone." I heard Helios say. Ilias huffed in frustration and I peered over to him.

"Nice little trick, Princess. How about you try shielding against this?" He snarled as the ground around me shook. I stumbled as purple energy sprung out of the ripples in the ground. I jumped around to dodge the attacks, and I heard Ilias laughing.

"Lady Serenity!" Sailor Uranus growled. "Damn you!"

"Shut up. You are all annoying me," Ilias shot them an angry glare and waved his hand. Blobs of black energy formed around the Outer senshi and Asteroid senshi, holding them in place. Before they could scream, their mouths were sealed shut. My eyes widened in horror as Ilias only laughed harder. All their sailor fukus began to disintegrate into ribbons as they detransformed under the attack.

"You're fun to play with, Princess." He observed. His fingers snapped and I watched on as electrical energy shocked everyone. Their muffled cries haunted my ears and I turned to him.

"They have nothing to do with this, and you know that. It's _me_ you want, right? I'm right here. Take me! Enough of these stupid games." I called out to him. His eyes narrowed.

"I guess you're right. I've waited long enough." He ran towards me at an incredible speed. If I had blinked, I would've missed it.

His arms were like snakes as they slithered around me. My sword fell to the ground and my body felt like it was being crushed under his grasp. I screamed in agony as I felt him throw me across the battlefield. My side glided against the broken marble beneath me. Warm blood trickled down my arm and leg as I struggled to get up.

"Maiden!" I heard Helios cry as he tried to run towards me.

"Oh no you don't, Lover boy." Ilias quipped. In the corner of my eye, I saw purple energy shoot through Helio's side. His scream shattered my heart as he fell to the ground, limp.

"No! Helios!" I got to my feet, sensing something broken, probably a rib.

"ChibiUsa!" I heard my mother cry out from under the barrier in the distance. Ilias laughed hysterically and in a flash, he was behind me, holding me tightly against him. I could see my mother trying to do something, but my father was holding her back. The inner senshi looked pained, but they couldn't move, otherwise the barrier would be broken. He sneered and shot black energy around my castle, destroying the barrier. I watched as the Inner senshi collapsed onto the marble. My mother ran to them and my father held onto her. Ilias shot more energy through his fingers, wrapping thick ropes of black energy around my parents, knocking them to the ground. They cried out as they struggled to get free.

"Funny how this could turn in my favor so quickly, eh, Princess?" His voice was poison to my ears as his hot breath brushed against my skin. My eyes focused on Helios's body, and I saw blood forming around his wound. "You were never as powerful as Sailor Moon." Tears filled my eyes. Ilias's hand grabbed the compact on my bow. I winced in pain because the pressure pushed against the scar underneath. "Now to take what's mine."

"No! LET ME GO!" I cried, struggling to free myself. Was I really this weak? My outfit melted away into pink ribbons as Ilias started to laugh.

"Maiden…" I heard Helios whimper. My eyes froze as his body slowly got up. Blood soaked through his outfit and he held his side. "Believe in yourself…"

"Won't you die already?" Ilias said as he sent out electrical energy at Helios, knocking him down.

"Maiden…you have the power…to stop him…" Helios sputtered out blood and tried again to get up. My body was shaking under Ilias's hold.

_I can't, Helios…I'm not strong enough…_my mind thought as I felt defeated. I imagined this would go completely differently. I expected to be like my mother when she fought: strong, unrelenting, and determined. But within moments, my will crumbled. I really wasn't strong enough to fight Chaos.

"The power is so…unbelievable!" I heard Ilias say hungrily as he began to absorb the energy from my compact. The energy in my body weakened. I watched Helios as he got back to his feet.

"Please…I believe in you…" He coughed. I gazed at my friends as they still struggled against the shocking electrical holds on them. Their eyes were on me, and I could feel their stares boring into me.

"_Why do you doubt yourself?"_ Helio's voice from before echoed in my head.

"_We believe in you, Princess."_ Sailor Neptune's voice rattled behind his.

"_I believe in you, ChibiUsa."_

_Mom…_I thought. _I know I'm better than this. Everyone…lend me your power….please…_I pleaded in my mind. The burning in my chest returned.

"_Princess!"_ I heard PallaPalla's voice in my head. Her forehead glowed as her sailor symbol appeared. Light blue energy shot from her and into my chest.

"_I believe in you, Lady Serenity!" _VesVes called out mentally, sending her red energy into me.

"_You can do it!"_ JunJun's green energy flew from her forehead. I could feel myself growing stronger.

"_Be the leader you know you are!" _CereCere said as her light pink power entered me. Ilias growled as he sensed what was happening.

"NO. I won't let you do this!" He growled, trying to pull my crystal away, but it wouldn't budge.

"_Small Lady, take our powers and awaken your own!" _I heard Setsuna's voice reassuring me as the outer senshi sent their powers to me. A rainbow of energy from the inner senshi flew through the air as it entered me.

"_ChibiUsa…you are my brightest star…_" My mother's voice lovingly swooned inside my mind.

"_Make us all proud, ChibiUsa._" My father said. I saw silver and gold energy shoot through the air. They were using their own life force energy to help me.

I saw Helios's bloody face smile at me as he closed his eyes. Golden light flew from his own forehead and entered me while Ilias cursed hastily. Everyone's energy swirled within me, and I felt burning warmth inside my chest. I closed my eyes. Then, a bright white light exploded from my compact, stunning Ilias and shooting him away from me. When I reopened them, everything around me was white.


	11. Awakening

Feathers were floating all around me. I looked around and it seemed like time had stopped. Where were the feathers coming from? I turned to see Ilias on the ground, frozen in terror. My arms rose and I noticed that the ribbons were gone. I was in my royal gown. The golden circles and pearls decorated my chest as the satin white cloth flowed around my waist and legs. The large white bow fluttered ay my midback and I sighed as my pink hair floated in the air around me. It was free and out of buns; just endless pink. I could sense the crescent moon symbol on my forehead as I watched the feathers fall. Where were they coming from? Then something twitched behind me. I gasped as I lifted an arm behind my shoulder and felt…a wing! I looked and saw that I had a pair of large, white, angelic wings at my back. I remembered that I had wings once before, when Pegasus saved me and Sailor Moon when I was young. Why did I have them now?

"Princess Lady Serenity." A strange little voice said. I looked around me and show nothing. Everyone was still frozen, even Helios. Then, a small white orb floated down through the feathers, stopping in front of my face. The bright white light dimmed to reveal a small female fairy-like creature. She had silver hair that was tied into little buns on her head, a silver gown, and a silver scepter in her little hand. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of blue and she smiled at me.

"Who are you?" I asked, bewildered.

"I am the guardian of your star."

"My star?" She nodded and pointed her scepter at my chest, a small pink ball began to appear, and I watched as it formed into a pink star.

"I protect your true star power. It has been floating with all the other sailor powers, waiting for you to call it to you. Your desire to help everyone, along with your stronger self-confidence, brought it to you. Now that you have fully awakened, you can bond with it." Her little voice was like a bell to my ears as I listened. The star shifted shape, changing into my pink crystal. I held it in my hands for a moment.

"I still don't understand. What does this all mean?"

"It means you can save your friends." She said daintily with a giggle. The crystal glimmered beautifully as a rush of light overcame me. The crystal changed into a star-shaped compact, with multiple speckles of rainbow gems. "You can change into your strongest form."

"My strongest form? I repeated in wonderment."

"Call it out, and you will transform." The little guardian's scepter started to glow. "I must return to my post with the other guardians." She floated back up into the sky and waved to me as she disappeared. "Good luck!"

I turned back to everyone around me as time began again. My wings twitched slightly as I heard Ilias groan in pain near me.

_No time to lose,_ I thought and held out my new compact.

"Eternal Star Power, Make Up!" The new words passed through my lips smoothly as everything around me swirled. My princess gown changed into my sailor outfit, but my skirt was now rainbow colored. My boots were a darker pink, and there was a translucent skirt underneath, which sparkled like diamonds. A long pink bow appeared at my chest, with golden outlines on the edges. My compact appeared there, sparkling like stars in moonlight. A nother bow appeared at my lower back, similar to the one on my chest, and golden pearls appeared in my hair, mixing with my pink strands. Long white gloves formed at my arms, with dark pink accents at my elbows. My tiara formed at my forehead, with a rainbow-colored crescent moon-shaped gem in the center. Lastly, the angelic wings I had before reappeared at my back.

"Maiden…" I heard Helios whisper in awe as he looked on. I smiled at him briefly.

"What just happened?" Ilias snarled, getting back to his feet. I glared at him and held out my hand. A golden staff appeared, with a heart-shaped crystal at the top, surrounded by golden star-shaped metal. I took a deep breath as I swung the staff in the air.

"Pink Moon Cosmic Kiss!" A burst of heart-shaped light shot out of my new staff, hurling towards Ilias. He screamed in agony as it enveloped him, burning away his skin. I heard gasps and moans behind me and quickly glanced to see that the magic that captured my friends disappeared. They all fell the ground, trying to compose themselves. Turning my attention back to what was once Ilias, my stomach churned in horror. All that was left was a black mass of energy with bright red eyes and razor-like teeth. Its hands were like claws as it floated in the air.

"You'll never be able to defeat me. It won't matter how much power you have!" It taunted me, trying to break my concentration.

"Maybe not," I started, placing both hands on my scepter and taking a step back. "But it's a start!" I growled and took to the air, flying rapidly towards the shapeless demon. I heard it howl at me and I closed my eyes for a second as I pierced through it with my scepter.


	12. Backfire

Darkness completely surrounded me now, and I was alone.

"Fight me, coward!" I called out into the nothingness. I was in the core of chaos I could feel it. "Still trying to play games? It won't work!"

Then an image of my mother and father appeared before me. They were glaring at me.

"We never wanted you. You've been such a pain to bring up. Always whining, always crying. What a waste." My mother cackled.

"If we didn't have you, we could be alone together all the time," My father said, kissing my mother's cheek seductively.

"Stop it! Those aren't my parents!" I barked. The images changed into my guardians, all laughing.

"Why did we bother protecting this idiot?" PallaPalla said.

"Even Nehellenia was better than her," VesVes said,. And they all cheered.

"Damnit, Chaos! STOP PLAYING!" I was growing angrier by the second. The image shifted again to Helios, looking disgusted.

"You're nothing like I wanted. Can't even handle being a proper princess. You're not even built like a woman. Still just a child to me. You're repulsive." His words hurt me the most. I shivered slightly. But then I shook my head. This wasn't real.

"No. You're not Helios. Helios, my friends, everyone…they all believe in me and my power. I am exactly who I want to be, and I'm going to defeat you once and for all!" I shrieked into the air, swinging my scepter around me like it was a baton.

"Crescent Spiral Mist!" Silver mist filled the emptiness surrounding me. Deep laugher vibrated through my body and I cringed.

"You will not win. I'm going to rule this universe." Everything rumbled as Chaos spoke. I took to the air and my wings cut through my mist.

"Stop hiding and fight me!" I demanded. As the mist receded below me, I saw Ilias glaring up at me.

"Which form should I be when killing you? Hmm?" he asked, before morphing into my childhood friend Hotaru. "Will this work?" She asked with a wicked grin. It reminded me of when Hotaru was possessed by Mistress 9. I stayed in the air, frozen as I watched Hotaru morph into Sailor Pluto. "Would this be better?" She said, rubbing a gloved finger along her chin in tempted thought. My lips became dry. Then her body changed into that of Prince Diamond. I gasped slightly. "Remember me? It's been a while, Small Lady." His voice haunted me. The black flipped over crescent made me shudder at the horrible memories of my childhood when the black moon tried to kidnap me. But yet again, his body shifted into that of a younger form of my father, as Tuxedo Kamen. A red rose glimmered in his fingers. "Would a loved one be easier to see before you die?" I shuddered. "How about…" Then Tuxedo Kamen turned into Sailor Moon. The wild blonde hair floated slightly behind her waist and she grinned at me. "…this? Being killed by your own mother may be fun."

"No…" I uttered, breathless. Sailor Moon leapt into the air, swinging at me with her claw-like arms. I flew backwards and downwards as the clone of my mother followed me in evil laughter. My boots skid against the darkness and I began to run, trying to think of what to do. I knew it wasn't my mom. But the idea of harming even her image scared me.

"Oh come now, ChibiUsa! Let's play!" Sailor Moon squealed and I glanced behind my shoulder to see a golden tiara flinging towards me. I ducked to my knees and rolled onto my side. Gaining composure, I turned t see Sailor Moon holding herself in laughter. "You really are pathetic. You're almost boring me." I got to my feet and felt everyone's power, and my own, flowing through my veins. I would not fail. Sailor Moon glared at me, waiting for me to strike. With a flick of my wrist, I shoved my staff ahead of me and charged her. I saw her grin twitch as I approached, and her hands grabbed my staff and flung me across the area. A loud bang went off as my head hit a wall-like structure; my body sliding down to the dark floor-like substance. My vision blurred and I felt tremors of pain around my eyes. Stinging pain came from my wings; I figured that they must be bleeding now. I held my head and turned to see Sailor Moon inspecting the staff. "What a silly little weapon," she said and took it in her hands, snapping it in half. My mouth fell wide open as the staff shattered into the darkness. She wiped her hands; her blue eyes boring into me, making me feel sick. "I'm really getting bored now," she said and her body morphed into Helios. I actually saw three of him before me, and I felt dizzy as I tried to get up.

'I… won't let you trick me, Chaos." I said. "I'm tired of your mind games."

"Oh, these aren't mind games, Maiden," Helio's voice dared me. "These are the simple truths about you and I. As much as everyone wants to believe that we have to coexist, we all know that one day, one will crumble the other," Helios walked over to me slowly, and I held the sides of my head to try and refocus my sight. "And today, I will crumble your pretty little light. And all will finally succumb to darkness." His voice ripped through my heart as he drew closer. The three of him turned into two, then one. I took in a deep breath before realizing he was merely inches from me. "What are you going to do, Maiden? Are you going to kill your precious Helios?" he whispered to me, reaching over to my face with a hand. His fingers grazed against my skin, and I felt a complete lack of warmth from them. As his golden eyes burned into mine, he took my face into his hand. He felt like stone. "Will you dare to hurt me?"

_You're not Helios…_I thought, struggling to keep focused. _You may look like him, but you don't have his heart, his warmth, his soul! _I let him get so close that it seemed as though he was going to kiss me.

"I'm not falling for the same trick twice, sorry." I whispered to him. His eyes widened as he pulled back an inch.

"What?" He sounded surprised. I shot him a small smile.

"Eternal Moon Crystal Power!" I called out. My body exploded with pink energy, cutting through Helios. He screamed in agony as the beams of light sliced through the darkness surrounding me. _I'm doing it, everyone!_ My mind cried as my wings extended behind me and my outfit melted into my princess gown. _I won't let anyone down again!_

"No! This can't be happening! I'm stronger than you!" I heard Chaos protest in pain as I flew out of the shredding darkness. I felt as strong as a thousand people as I dashed through the air. I turned my body around to see what was happening. The energy around me engulfed the black shreds, eating them away. What was left of Helios began to melt away like acid.

"Nothing is stronger than the power of love," I said to Chaos. "That is the light that will protect everyone from your darkness!" I held out my arms and my crystal appeared, sparkling like a prism. "Crystal, please grant me the power I need to defeat this evil!" I pleaded, feeling the immense power of it in my palms. The light around it grew brighter, almost blinding. It shot out of my crystal and surrounded Chaos. Its screams of agony became muffled as it was encased in the pink energy. Then, suddenly I felt extremely weak, and I was falling. I felt my crystal break in my palms and I gasped for air, falling at an incredible speed. Then everything went black.


	13. Reunited

"Maiden! Maiden!" Someone was calling me. Someone familiar. Someone warm. My eyes ached as they opened. The first thing to greet me was beautiful gold. I smiled weakly as I remembered those eyes.

"Helios?" I asked, wanting to touch his face as it came into clearer focus. He looked dreadful. Caked on blood covered most of his cheeks, and his chin looked bruised. "Did I save everyone?"

"Oh…" He gasped and pulled me into his arms. I heard cries of relief from others and glanced over his shoulder to see my parents and friends all around us, watching. I saw something small run towards us and pounce between Helios and me, landing in my lap.

"Lady Serenity, I was so worried!" Diana's shaken voice said as she rubbed her face against my stomach.

"We thought we lost you!" My mother exclaimed, grabbing one of my hands and holding it gingerly in her own. My father dusted away tears from his eyes.

"You did it, ChibiUsa…" he murmured proudly.

"Chaos is gone?" I asked, looking into tearful eyes of my mother. She smiled and nodded.

"There was no trace of it left." Sailor Mercury reported. "And for a time, no trace of you."

"Of me?" I pondered. Then I remembered my crystal breaking. "My crystal!" I shuffled my eyes around me, seeing that I was still in my gown, but my wings had disappeared, as well as whatever was left of my crystal. Helios brought up on of his hands and I saw some shards in his palm. "Oh no…"

"Don't be sad, Maiden." Helios said. I looked into his golden eyes. "This is a good thing."

"How? My crystal is destroyed! Ignoring the fact that I'm not _dead_, how will I be able to transform again?"

"You don't need that crystal anymore," he replied. "Your true power resides within you."

"What?" I scoffed. Then I remembered the little guardian's words. "She mentioned something about bonding with my true star power…" My eyes glanced at the shards in Helios's hand. "This is what she meant?"

"Who mentioned what?" Diana asked, confused. I shook my head as the others looked on in equal confusion.

"Don't worry about it." _That means I don't need my crystal to transform anymore? Or as a life force? Did I really become that powerful?_ "Sailor Mercury…"

"Yes?" She looked over at me with her soft blue eyes, and I felt almost nervous to ask.

"You said there wasn't a trace of me? Why is that, and how was I found? All I remember is falling and not being able to breathe…" Everyone was silent and all eyes were on Helios. I followed their gaze and tilted my head to the side.

"It's because you died, Maiden. Well, you were very near death, I should say," he spoke softly, as if not to scare me. I was very still as I waited for him to continue. "When you disappeared into Chaos, we had no idea what happened, because the both of you disappeared. Once everyone regained their strength, we went searching for you around the city, hoping to find some trace of either of you. We all could sense Chaos strongly, but not you. I found myself near a park when I felt a sudden sting in my heart, and the presence of Chaos gone. A horrible vision of you falling came to my mind. The strange sensation told me to go in a certain direction, and I ran without haste.

"I saw a bright flash in the sky above me. When I looked up, I saw your body falling. I dove into the air, as my Pegasus form, to catch you. I brought you back down here and lay you on the ground. That's when I noticed that you had very little life force left. I let the others know where we were and returned to this form. Everyone thought the worse, because we found shards of your crystal around you. But something absolutely amazing happened…" Helios placed a hand over my heart. "You began to heal. At a rapid rate, I might add. It was then that we concluded your new abilities."

"You did so well, ChibiUsa…" I my mother added. "You're more powerful than any of us could have imagined. I'm so proud of you!"

"You're the new Sailor Moon, Small Lady," Pluto said. "The new protector of the planet."

"You've proven that you're ready to be a great ruler, Princess." Sailor Saturn said. I glanced over at her and started to cry.

"Oh, Hotaru…" I whispered. "Everyone…thank you!"

"Let's get you back to the castle so you can rest while we rebuild," my father said. I nodded. Before I could say anything, Helios pulled me into his strong arms, holding me tightly against him. I heard giggles and chuckles from our audience as he carried me back to my home. Embarrassed, I buried my head in his shirt and sighed.

"I think I know who will be her date for her party…" Sailor Venus's voice permeated my head as we walked. I blushed, shoving my head into the soft cloth further to hide it.


	14. Promises

It's amazing what can be done in only a few days when you have so many sailor senshi and willing citizens to help out. Again, I was bedridden during the time. My body had been thoroughly drained by the fight, and I was thankful that my bed was as big and comfortable as it was. I slept the most that I ever had that I could remember. Diana let me know of the updates on reconstructions and party preparations. With everything happening, I was surprised that they all wanted to still throw the party. I was excited to hear that the Outer senshi were going to stay for the celebration. Diana also let me know that Helios had returned to Elysion on important business, which made my heart sink. _As soon as I find him again, he's gone,_ I thought after hearing the news. _But that is his duty. I can't expect anything more from him._

Finally, the day had come. My friends piled into my room, feverishly talking about how great the ballroom looked and how beautiful my mother was in the new gown she wore for the occasion. I started to feel nervous as they helped get me ready. I slipped into a brand new gown that was a light shade of pink, with small roses around the waistline. Clear high heels were tied onto my feet by PallaPalla as JunJun and VesVes brushed out my hair and placed a small boquet of roses behind my ear. CereCere was beaming while helping me with makeup. They all looked so beautiful in their respective gowns. For the first time since I heard about the party, regardless of Helios not being there, I was getting excited. A soft at my door interrupted the chaos and I saw my mother standing there with a bright smile.

"Mind if I come in, ChibiUsa?" She asked daintily. I noticed one of her hands was behind her back. Her gown was an elegant yellow dress with ribbons flowing down the sides. It was low cut in the front, and she had on a ruby red necklace with a heart-shaped pendant in the middle.

"Of course, Mom." I said and CereCere grumbled at my movement. "Sorry!"

"I wanted to give you your present early," my mother said as she came over to my side. Her hand appeared from behind her back and I saw a small package. It was dark blue with a silver ribbon tied at the top. The bow was lopsided a little, so I knew she tied it herself. "Go ahead, open it."

I took the small present into my hands and tore open the wrapping. A black box was revealed underneath, and it snapped as I opened it. Inside sat a silver chain, with various charms along the links. In the very center was a pink crescent moon. Beside it were other little charms, including a small red rose, a silhouette of a grey cat, a blue bubble, a green leaf, an orange microphone, a red raven, a purple key, a yellow steering wheel, a teal music note, and a light purple hat. I teared up. My parents and all the inner and outer senshi provided charms for this wonderful bracelet.

"Mom, it's so beautiful!" I gasped as I put it around my wrist. It jingled like little bells, making me smile.

"I knew you would like it." She replied and hugged me gently. "You should hurry up. Everyone is waiting!" She excused herself and returned downstairs. My friends continued to ramble on about their gifts to me and about other topics as I finished getting ready. I took once last glance in my mirror before leaving the room, and was taken aback by the sight in the reflection. The woman in the mirror looked so grown up, elegant, and strong. Was that really me? I tapped the glass with a finger and smiled.

"Come on! Everyone's waiting, Princess!" I heard JunJun exclaimed from the stairwell. With a deep breath, I strolled down the hall and descended the stairs. Beautiful piano music played as my feet slowly touched each step. I saw my mother and father holding hands at the base of the stairs, and all the senshi were in their princess gowns behind them. Beside them were Luna, Artemis, and Diana in their human forms. The other guests were all gasping and sighing in awe, making it difficult for me to keep my composure. My hand grabbed onto the railing, for I feared I may trip from nervousness. When I met with my parents, each hugged me tightly and wished me a happy birthday.

I greeted everyone politely, casually asking them how they were since I was in bed. Everybody looked beautiful and charming. I gained many compliments about my appearance and how grateful they were that I saved them from Chaos. It was oddly flattering to receive them. It just made everything more real to me in my head. The attention was overwhelming, so I was relieved when Mom announced that it was time to dance.

While everyone was distracted, I got the chance to admire the decorations. The girls weren't kidding when they mentioned how elaborate and gorgeous they were! Silver streamers and ribbons hung from the tall ceiling of the ballroom, with silver and pink balloons floating underneath. There was a beautiful arch of pink and red roses at the entrance for the gardens, and the tables surrounding the dance floor were coated with sheer tablecloth and rose petals. The pillars had pink ribbon rolled around them, reminding me of candy canes. I walked over to the flower arch and leaded against a pillar, watching all the happy people dance with one another. My mother and father looked like professionals as they glided around the floor. It made m think of them as they were in their past lives. I heard stories of how they would dance together like this and amaze the onlookers. They experienced so much together, yet their love was stronger than ever. Would I ever have that myself? My fingers fidgeted at my waist as I sighed in thought.

"Why so glum, my Lady? Shouldn't you be enjoying your party?" A voice asked form behind me. I turned and saw Helios standing before me with his gentle smile. His outfit was similar to what he always wore, but shinier. A long silver cloak flowed at his back in the breeze. He held a bouquet of pink and red roses in his hand. My heart jumped into my throat.

"Helios!" I exclaimed, running into his arms. "You made it!" I felt him sigh as my head leaned onto his shoulder. His arms closed around me.

"Of course I did, Maiden. I wouldn't miss this for anything." I felt the tears forming in my eyes and I sniffled, trying to keep them from flowing. CereCere would kill me for ruining her makeup job. I pulled away from him reluctantly and he handed me the flowers.

"They're so beautiful, Helios, thank you." I took in the sweet smell of the roses.

"They fail in comparison to you, Princess." Helios bowed, making me blush furiously. "You truly look radiant this evening."

"Oh, Helios…" I was at a loss of words. The song changed behind us and he held out his hand.

"Would you do me the honor of joining me in this dance?" He asked, his golden eyes seemingly mesmerized. I subtly nodded and took his hand, and he led me into the ballroom. One of the servants took my flowers to put them in a vase as Helios and I began to dance. His arm wrapped around my waist as his other held mine in the air at our side. It had been so long since I danced with a partner, I was nervous of being clumsy. Helios must've seen the fear on my face. "Are you alright?" he asked, worried. I shook my head.

"I'm scared of making you fall. I haven't danced in forever…" I trailed off in embarrassment. He chuckled at me. I felt his tug me around as we circled around a couple gracefully.

"You seem to be doing fine to me," he said with his charming smile. The closeness between us was making my heart pound. I was beginning to lose myself in this wonderful moment. This was what I dreamed all along: to be able to be this close with Helios, free of the worries and pain of being an inexperienced child. "You're quite graceful, as always." His words were like electricity as they made my body spasm.

"Helios…I…" I felt an incredible urge to tell him how I felt. Somehow, a fear erupted in my mind that if I didn't do it now, I wouldn't get another chance any time soon. And I didn't want to risk forgetting everything again. "I need to tell you something…" I gazed into his eyes as they shrank with concern.

"What is it?" He asked. I opened my mouth to say the three most important words I would ever say, when my mother's loud voice blared through the room, stopping me dead in my tracks.

"I wanted to thank everyone for coming here today to celebrate this momentous occasion," she said as she stood in front of the band, holding a microphone in her small hand. My father stood behind her, beaming with pride. "As you all know, Princess Lady Serenity did us all an amazing favor of saving this planet from the greatest enemy ever faced in this universe." A loud sea of cheers and clapping filled the room. Helios joined in, and I sighed in defeat. "She's become a strong warrior and powerful leader, so I am proud to say happy birthday to my beautiful daughter. Come up here please, ChibiUsa!" My mother called out to me. Everyone's eyes fell on me and I forced myself to smile.

"Go on…" Helios whispered, giving me a little push forward. I made me way up to the small stage and joined my parents. I saw Diana prance up the stairs at the side, holding a pillow with a silver crown sitting on it. Beautiful pink and red crystals were etched into the crown, sparkling under the lights in the room.

"We are proud to present you with this crown, knowing that this kingdom will safe in your hands," my father said into the microphone as my mother took the crown off the pillow and pat Diana on her head with a smile. She grinning and rejoined her parents on the dance floor. My mother walked behind me and held up the crow above my head. "We coronate you with this crown, and from this day forward, you will be known as Queen Lady Serenity." My father proudly stated as my mother laid the crown on top of my head. It was heavy, but not as bad as I imagined. I strangely felt empowered. My father kissed me on my cheek and gave me the microphone as everyone cheered for a speech. I coughed nervously as I fumbled to think of words to say.

"I don't really have a speech prepared…" I started, darting across my audience. "I just wanted to say what's in my heart. Words cannot describe the pride I feel from having the honor of being your new ruler. I have seen this kingdom take shape and evolve into the magnificence it is today. My mother and father did an amazing job in protecting and caring for everyone, and I used to be terrified of how I could possibly measure up to their standards," I glanced over at my parents; their smiling faces making me feel more at ease as I spoke.

"But over the last few days, I learned a lot about myself and what I am capable of. I know a lot of devastation was caused all over the planet from Chaos. I know many lives were lost. And I am sorry that I could not save them. But no one's lives will ever be in vein. In their memory, I promise to all of you that I will work my hardest to make this planet as wonderful as my parents have in the past. I love this world and will do anything to protect its beauty and life. Thank you all for believing in me, because that's what gives me my strength." Everyone cheered again and I handed off the microphone to my mother.

"Let's get back to the party!" My mother yelped into the microphone. The band started back up as I walked down to the floor. The Inner and Outer senshi welcomed me with congratulations. My friends all cheered in unison, making me laugh. My father patted me on the shoulder from behind and I turned to look at him.

"What is it, Dad?" I asked. He smiled at me.

"Time for my birthday gift to you," he said, holding his hand out at my side. I followed where his finger pointed and saw Helios standing in the middle of the dance floor, waiting for me.

"What…? I…I don't understand," I said. Mom slid her arm around my father's wait and leaned against him. My father smiled at me mischievously.

"Ask Helios about it. He'll explain." He said and hugged me. "I'm so proud of you." His whisper trailed along with me as I walked over to Helios.

"What's going on, Helios?" I asked. He took my hand.

"Come with me," he said in his soothing voice, taking my hand and leading me out into the gardens. The moonlight made all the flowers shimmer around us as we walked along the cobblestone and crystal path. We walked in silence. My nerves felt like they were going to explode under my skin. He only looked as though he was lost in thought. We stopped by the water fountain in the center of the gardens, and he pulled me in front fo him, staring into my eyes with his.

"I don't get what's happening. What did my father mean?" I stammered. Helios's boyish face whitened, becoming pale. "Are you alright?" I asked.

"Ye…yes. I'm fine." His voice shook. "I wanted to do this more formally, but, I just couldn't wait…" he mumbled as his hand went into one of his pockets. I was completely bewildered. I had never seen Helios so nervous before. What was going on? My eyes followed his hand as it came out of the pocket with a small, red velvet box. "Lady Serenity…Maiden…ChibiUsa-chan…" He whispered as he held up the box, opening it. My mouth fell open as my eyes gazed into the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. It was golden, with a heart-shaped pink diamond in the center.

"I've waited for a long time, to admit to you my feelings. I watched you grow up into such a beautiful, wonderful woman. You're everything I've always desired. Will…will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" His voice echoed in my head as I stared blankly at the ring in front of me, speechless.

I had to be dreaming! There was no way Helios was standing before me, proposing to me! My eyes lifted to his, and I saw the gold of his eyes sparkle. My cheeks had to be beet red. My lips felt dry as I tried to talk. If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up.

"Helios…I…yes!" I gasped, grabbing onto him. I felt him shudder in surprise as I held onto him tightly. "Yes, yes, yes!" I repeated over and over, crying into his cloak. He pulled himself away from me and gently took my hand, sliding the beautiful ring onto my finger. I watched it sparkle on my hand before looking back at Helios. "I wanted to confess for so long…" I whispered. He smiled at me, placing his hands at my cheeks. They felt so warm. "Even after forgetting, something deep inside me told me to keep training and become a real lady…I did that all for you…" Helios rubbed his fingers against my shivering flesh.

"I know you did. I've always loved you, my maiden. Ever since we met so long ago. It's never gone away, only gotten stronger." My fingers twirled the tassels at his chest as I listened. "And now, we can finally be together."

"What about Elysion? Your duty there? You can't leave…" I frowned instantly. His fingers grazed along my dry lips.

"It's alright. The golden crystal is safe. Your father spoke to the Maenads, and they agreed to become the new priestesses of the shrine. I am free to do what I wish now."

_That was his gift to me…_I realized.

"Oh, Helios! I love you!" I blurted out, leaning my face in and kissing him passionately. I took him off guard with my force, and he moved back a little as we kissed, but returned the kiss with as much force as me. Thousands of years of longing were finally released between us.

_I promise to make everyone's dreams come true,_ I thought as we embraced each other. _I'm going to make a bright and wonderful future with everyone I love._

~FIN~


End file.
